No alcohol
No alcohol at official gatherings.
Code of Conduct
The rules that protect the table
Kalman Commons works because everyone agrees to the same simple code. It keeps gatherings calm, lawful, inclusive, and free of the things that corrode trust.
Founding rules
Non-negotiable
No mandatory cigar purchase
Cigars are optional. No one is ever required to buy.
No luxury gatekeeping
No exclusion through high upfront fees or opulence.
No aggressive selling
Gatherings are not sales funnels.
No tobacco promotion
No tobacco promotion to the public, ever. No brands, prices, or marketing.
Lawful, adult-only cigars
Cigars only where lawful, adult-only (25+), and venue-approved.
Member expectations
How we treat each other
Civility
Members are civil adults. Respect is the assumed experience, not the exception.
Honesty
Business is conducted with honesty, transparency, and good faith.
Inclusion
Non-smokers are never made to feel secondary. The table is shared.
Artists respected
Cultural contributors are part of the community, supported fairly.
Hosts under the code
Volunteer hosts run gatherings autonomously, always under this code.
Vendors serve
Vendors and retailers serve the community; they do not control it.
Compliance & law
Lawful by design
Every chapter operates within the law of its jurisdiction. Members must be 25 or above with age verification. Any optional cigar activity occurs only where lawful, adult-only, and venue-approved, and any supply is handled directly by an independently licensed retailer — never by Kalman, and never promoted. Kalman Commons does not sell, supply, advertise, or promote tobacco. Smoking is harmful to health.
This code is a community standard, not legal advice. Chapters should confirm local requirements with their venue and obtain professional advice where needed.
Concerns
Raising a concern
If a communication, gathering, privacy matter, or conduct issue needs review, it can be raised in good faith and will be handled respectfully and, where relevant, through the appropriate authorised channel. Members who breach the code may be asked to step back from gatherings.